Augustin Lesage (1876-1954)

In 1912, coal miner Augustin Lesage was compelled “by powerful spirits” to paint and draw. Over the subsequent four decades, he created an astounding body of work featuring symmetrical, highly-detailed paintings that combine Ancient Egyptian motifs, architectural imagery, and mediumistic repetition. Untitled is a wonderful example of Lesage’s large-scale abstracted compositions, and its bright, detailed patterns evoke an almost meditative state within the viewer and hint at Lesage’s role as a medium as well as an artist.